Now that your resume and cover letter have got you in the door, it is time to make a good first impression. Remember, the interviewer makes a decision within 2.8 minutes, so it is up to you to make sure that the decision is in your favour.
“The interviewer makes an immediate overall judgment about you within the first five seconds, and the next 25 seconds are spent checking the chemistry and verifying the initial impression”
–Ollie Stevenson, author of 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Job Search Problems
Your appearance is very important. This is the first thing the employer sees. Your appearance will reflect your attitude and give the employer an impression of what your work habits will be like – will you be neat or careless in doing your job? Will your appearance affect the customers that the business serves? How will co-workers react to you. In short, does your appearance indicate that you are conscientious about how you do your work?
Jewellery should be minimal and go with what you are wearing. Check your appearance in a mirror from as many angles as possible. Sit in a chair in front of a mirror to see how you look sitting down. Make sure there are no gaps showing. Body piercings are your choice, but they may impact the employer’s decision to hire you, particularly if you will be doing customer service.
The other important part of appearance is how do you smell? Many people are allergic to perfumes. Sometimes people try to cover up body odour or cigarette smoke by applying scented deodorants or colognes. It is hard to concentrate on interviewing someone if your nose is being assaulted. Some people may actually get headaches from the smells, and for someone who is a non-smoker, the smell of a freshly smoked cigarette is unpleasant.
So, ensure that you are freshly showered, hair clean and neat, teeth brushed (with or without mouth wash), nails clean, shoes polished, no perfume or cologne (or very little – basically, if you can smell it, it’s too strong), don’t smoke within 10 minutes of your interview and then use a breath mint before the interview.
Body language can play an important role in your interview. Much of what we say or think is reflected in our body language. That is one of the reasons why it is important to be able to defend everything on your resume. If you are unsure about any part of your resume, it will come across in your body language – in the way you hold yourself, your eye contact, or your voice.
Project the image that fits the job you’re going after
• Make eye contact, smile and trust your gut reactions
• If they sit, you sit; if they joke, smile
• Sit forward in your chair to show interest and enthusiasm
• Check out your posture and outfit in a full-length mirror before heading out to the
interview
Don’t slouch, play with objects, shift a lot, laugh nervously, cross your arms in front of your chest – these actions indicate nervousness
Good luck!
Fran Watson
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